LONDON — Jannik Sinner’s recent agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to serve a three-month suspension due to positive doping tests has sparked criticism from Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) has voiced concerns over a perceived “lack of transparency” within the anti-doping system.
Ranked as the leading male player, Sinner publicly confirmed on Saturday that he will accept the suspension, which allows him to compete in upcoming Grand Slam events, including the French Open set to begin on May 25.
“Clearly, Sinner’s team has maneuvered to secure a mere three-month ban, avoiding any loss of titles or prize money,” Kyrgios expressed on social media platform X, referencing WADA’s earlier push for a suspension of at least one year.
“Are we to consider him guilty or not? It’s a disappointing day for tennis. The notion of fairness seems nonexistent,” Kyrgios lamented.
WADA challenged a prior ruling by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which opted not to impose a suspension on Sinner, considering his case to be one of accidental contamination involving a banned anabolic steroid from last March.
Sinner’s defense—that trace residues of Clostebol found in his sample came from a massage after his trainer used the substance on himself—was accepted by the authorities.
Shortly after the terms of the settlement were made public, three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka remarked on X, “My faith in clean sport has diminished significantly …”
The PTPA, co-founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, also chimed in on X, issuing a statement criticizing the decision-making entities: ATP, WTA, Grand Slams, ITA, and WADA.
“What is being called the ‘system’ is merely an exclusive club. The supposedly case-by-case discretion appears to be a facade for custom agreements, bias, and inconsistent rulings. Beyond varying outcomes for different players, we face a stark absence of transparency, process, consistency, and credibility among the numerous agencies overseeing our sports and athletes,” the PTPA articulated.
It further charged these organizations with demonstrating an unacceptable bias “against all athletes, reflecting a profound disrespect for each sport and its admirers. It’s high time for transformation.”
